Introduction

In today’s digital age, businesses face an unprecedented level of risk from natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and human error. According to a recent survey, 75% of organizations have experienced a data loss or disruption in the past year, resulting in significant financial losses and damage to their reputation (1). In response, many organizations are turning to Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) to ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster. However, DRaaS is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and its effectiveness depends on careful planning, implementation, and testing. In this article, we will explore five crucial lessons learned from failures in DRaaS, highlighting the importance of proper planning, testing, and execution.

Lesson 1: Define Your Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs)

One of the most critical mistakes organizations make when implementing DRaaS is failing to define their Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). RTOs refer to the maximum amount of time an organization can afford to be without access to their data and systems after a disaster, while RPOs refer to the maximum amount of data that can be lost in the event of a disaster. Without clear RTOs and RPOs, organizations risk underestimating the level of disaster recovery required, leading to extended downtime and significant data loss.

According to a study by Forrester, 60% of organizations have not defined their RTOs and RPOs, leaving them vulnerable to extended downtime and data loss (2). To avoid this mistake, organizations should conduct a thorough business impact analysis (BIA) to determine their RTOs and RPOs. This involves identifying critical systems, assessing the impact of downtime, and determining the maximum amount of data that can be lost.

Lesson 2: Test Your DRaaS Solution Regularly

Regular testing of your DRaaS solution is crucial to ensure its effectiveness in the event of a disaster. However, many organizations fail to test their DRaaS solution regularly, leaving them unaware of potential issues until it’s too late. According to a survey by IT Brand Pulse, 40% of organizations have not tested their DRaaS solution in the past year, despite the fact that 71% of organizations consider disaster recovery to be a critical component of their IT strategy (3).

To avoid this mistake, organizations should test their DRaaS solution regularly, ideally on a quarterly basis. This should include testing of failover, failback, and data consistency to ensure that the solution is working as expected. Regular testing will help identify potential issues, ensuring that the organization can respond quickly and effectively in the event of a disaster.

Lesson 3: Ensure Data Consistency and Integrity

Data consistency and integrity are critical components of any DRaaS solution. However, many organizations fail to ensure that their data is consistent and intact after a disaster, leading to data loss and corruption. According to a study by IBM, 58% of organizations have experienced data corruption or inconsistencies during the recovery process, resulting in significant delays and costs (4).

To avoid this mistake, organizations should ensure that their DRaaS solution includes mechanisms for data consistency and integrity. This may include features such as data replication, snapshots, and data validation. Additionally, organizations should regularly review their data backup and retention policies to ensure that they are aligned with their RTOs and RPOs.

Lesson 4: Consider the Cloud in Your DRaaS Solution

The cloud is increasingly being used as a critical component of DRaaS solutions, offering scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, many organizations fail to consider the cloud in their DRaaS solution, missing out on these benefits. According to a survey by MarketsandMarkets, 55% of organizations are using cloud-based disaster recovery, citing benefits such as reduced costs and improved scalability (5).

To avoid this mistake, organizations should consider the cloud in their DRaaS solution. This may include using cloud-based backup and recovery, cloud-based disaster recovery as a service, or a combination of both. The cloud offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for disaster recovery, enabling organizations to quickly spin up resources in the event of a disaster.

Lesson 5: Continuously Monitor and Update Your DRaaS Solution

Finally, organizations should continuously monitor and update their DRaaS solution to ensure its effectiveness in the event of a disaster. This includes monitoring system logs, updating software and firmware, and conducting regular security audits. According to a survey by Ponemon Institute, 60% of organizations have experienced a security breach due to a failure to update or patch their systems, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring and updating (6).

To avoid this mistake, organizations should establish a regular maintenance schedule for their DRaaS solution, including monitoring, updating, and security audits. This will help identify potential issues before they become major incidents, ensuring that the organization can respond quickly and effectively in the event of a disaster.

Conclusion

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) is a critical component of any business continuity plan, offering organizations a cost-effective and scalable solution for disaster recovery. However, DRaaS is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and its effectiveness depends on careful planning, implementation, and testing. By defining RTOs and RPOs, testing regularly, ensuring data consistency and integrity, considering the cloud, and continuously monitoring and updating the solution, organizations can avoid common mistakes and ensure a robust DRaaS solution.

We’d love to hear from you! Have you experienced a disaster recovery failure in the past? What lessons did you learn from the experience? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts.

References:

(1) IT Brand Pulse, “2019 Disaster Recovery Survey”

(2) Forrester, “The State of Disaster Recovery Preparedness”

(3) IT Brand Pulse, “2019 Disaster Recovery Survey”

(4) IBM, “The Cost of Data Corruption”

(5) MarketsandMarkets, “Cloud-Based Disaster Recovery Market”

(6) Ponemon Institute, “2019 Global State of Endpoint Security Risk”